Naude, Van Huyssteen seal series

Updated: March 31, 2011

Rudolf Naude and Carla Van Huyssteen won the fourth and final Sasol Cross Triathlon race in wet and muddy conditions and with that, sewed up the series as well.

With no Nico Sterk in the mix, Naude was odds on favourite to win the race and the overall series title. Coming out of the 600-metre swim, Naude had Theo Blignaut for company, but once out on the 20 kilometre mountain bike leg, Naude started to ease away and by the time he came into T2 for the final 6km run, Naude had a 1min 10sec lead on Blignaut.

Naude added another 35sec to the lead on the run and crossed the line in 1:20:14 with Blignaut coming in almost two minutes adrift. Piers Pirow was third over the line to round out the podium positions and also claimed the Veteran Men’s win.

Van Huyssteen was all business, finishing fourth overall and once again top of the women’s race. She was 90 seconds up on junior Charne Prinsloo in the swim. The junior was then overhauled on the bike by Heidi Marie Meiring, but Meiring was not going to catch a flying Van Huyssteen who clocked less than an hour for the 20km mountain bike ride.

Once on the run Van Huyssteen continued to open her lead to eventually cross the line in 1:28:36 ÔÇô almost 20 minutes ahead of Meiring with Yolandi Le Roux finishing third.